Method of preventing the emulsification of oil from wells.



J. E. REYNOLDS. METHOD OF PREVENTING THE EMULSIFICATION OF OIL FROMWELLS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. l9l5.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

N IIVVENTOR i l tywad,

WIT/V598 W. 52%

ATTORNEY J. E. REYNOLDS.

METHOD OF PREVENTING THE EMULSIFICATION OF OIL mom WELLS.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1915.

1,157,903. Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESS ErhM A TTOR/VE Y UNITED STATES AllENT OFFICE.

I .lOHN E. REYNOLDS, OF TAFT, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD OF PREVENTING THE EMULSIFICATION OF OIL FROM WELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

Application filed June 23, 1915. Serial No. 35,952.

I cation.

My invention relates to the art of operating oil wells, especially thoseWells, whether flowing naturally or caused to flow by compressed air,which produce oil and gas, or oil, gas and water in comblnation.

My invention consists in a methodof preventing the emulsification of theOll from such wells, the nature and advantages of said method beinghereinafter fully described.

A suitable apparatus in which my method may be carried out isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a planof said apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

I shall first describe the apparatus after which I shall set forth mymethod as carried out in the use of the apparatus.

1 is a tight container of any suitable shape and dimensions, preferablyelongated and recumbent, as this form and position yield the bestresults in the treatment of the well product, both with respect to theutilization of its gaseous component to form the gas cushion hereinafterdescribed, and in the separation of the various ingredients of saidproduct. 1 is a similar tight container.

2 is the pipe line from the well. This is connected by the elbow 3 withthe branch 4 leading by a tight-connection into one end of the container1, and with the branch 4 leading, by similar connection, into the end ofthe container 1. 5 is a gate valve controlling the branch 4; and 5 is agate valve controlling the branch 4. From the lower portion or area ofthe other end of the con-- tainer 1 leads the oil draw-off pipe 6controlled by a gate valve 7. A similar oil draw-off pipe 6 leads fromthe other end of the other container 1, and is controlled by a gatevalve 7 The draw-off-pipes 6 and 6 connect with the oil lines 8 and 8'respectively which lead to the tanks or reservoirs.

In the discharge ends of the containers are the manholes 9 and 9'respectively, to

permit interior inspection. From the lower portion of each containernear its discharge end, depends an inverted dome 10, from which a pipe11, controlled by a gate-valve 12 leads away to any suitable destinationfor the water, sand, mud and other undesirable substances.

Rising from the upper area or portion of the container 1 are gas pipes13 which are controlled by valves 14. These pipes are to permit theescape of gas into the atmosphere when necessary. With the riser gaspipes 13 are connected the gas pipes 15 which lead to the gas line 16,which is connected into the oil line 8 which, as heretofore stated,leads to the tanks or reservoirs. Each of the pipes 15 is controlled bya valve 17. These gas pipes Hand 15 may be in any suitable number atintervals along the length of the container. I have, for illustration,shown three. In connection with the container 1' are similarly disposedriser gas pipes 13, valves 14, pipes 15, valves 17 and a gas line 16which latter is con-- nected into the oil line 8. From the upper portionof one container to the upper portion of the other container leads apressure equalizing pipe 18 controlled by the valves 19.

20 is a water line pipe connecting into the water pipe 21 which iscontinued at each end as a wash pipe 22 down into the inverted domes 10of the two containers: This is used to wash out foreign particles, suchas mud and sand, etc., from said domes, if

necessary.

23 and 23 are gas pipes which lead from one of the riser gas pipes 13and 13 of the two containers, and are connected to agas line 24. Thesepipes 23 and 23' are fitted with hand valves 25 and 25 and arecontrolled by check valves 26 and 26. They are used for taking offsurplus gas to the line 24 .for commercial purposes, if desired.

27 and 27 are safety pop-valves to prevent an excess of pressure in thecontainers.

Valve controlled outlet pipes 28 in the end of the containers are usedas gages to ascertain the height of the liquid in said containers.

29 are pressure gages.

The method carried outin this apparatus involves essentially theestablishment in a confined space of a gas-cushion against which theflow from the well is directed; it

also involves the production vor establishment of this s-cushion fromthe well itself V by means of the gaseous component of its completeprocess as carried out in theapparatus. The fluid from the well, oil,gas,

water, mud, sand, etc., passes through the well line 2 and branch 4, thegate valve 5 of which is open, into the container 1, the exits 6 and 11from which, for the oil and fluent solids respectively, are closed. Atthis time the other container 1 is closed, by

its gate valve'5 to the well line, and it is also closed to the firstcontainer by the valve 19 in its equalizer pipe 18. As the well productflows into container 1, one or more of the gas exits from the top ofthe, container are opened, the air content of said container being thusvented so that the conthe vents are closed and the pressure rises in thecontainer. When the pressure reaches the desired point the equalizingpipe 18 1s opened by its valve 19 and gas passes over from container 1to container 1, until the pressure in the two containers isthe same,

and is at the desired point. This point is reached, regulated,controlled and maintained by the. proper manipulation of the valves 17in the gas pipes 15, which permit excess of pressure to pass off throughgas line 16 into the oil line 8; or, if it be desired, the pipe 23 maybe used to carry the surplus gas to the gas line 24 for commercial use.There is thus established in the second container 1 a gas cushion undersuch pressure as may be found best to permit the well product to flow inagainst. When this gas cushion is established, the first container 1 isclosed by its gate valve 5 to the well pipe 2, and the second container1' is opened to said pipe by its gate valve 5. The equalizing pipe 18between the two containers is closed; and the oil discharge pipe 6 fromthe first container is opened. The well product now flows into thesecond container 1 against the gas cushion which has been establishedtherein. The effect of this is to so quiet it that emulsification isprevented and the several ingredients separate effectually and may bedrawn off separately. The desired effect, it will be seen thus takesplace first in the second container 1 because the operation. in thefirst container 1 is merely 'to establish the first gas cushion in thesecond container 1, and the product first taken into the first container1 is merely to start the operation, and, as a matter of plufact, thisfirst batch of oil in container 1 l is practically spoiled as it hasbeen emulsified. But now the operation proceeds regularly, for thecontents of the first container 1 having been drawn 011', and the secondcontainer 1' having been filled with the well product, its pressure isnow transferred to container 1, through the equalizer pipe 18 untilthepressurgregulated and controlled as before, isthe same in both, andthe necessary gas cushion is thus establishedi'n the first container 1.Thereupon the operation either by a flow plug or a valve placed intainer fills with the well product. Then flow line for the purpose ofcontrolling the pressure of the well. This sudden reduction has 1n mostcases caused emulsification of the oil when used on flowing wells, whichemulsification is due to the mechanical mixing of the oil, water andgas, and the resulting chemical change. The emulsified product is, inmost cases,valueless unless treated in various ways at great expense,and in some cases no successful method of treatment has been found.

My method may be used on all flowing I oil wells either those producingoil and gas, or oil, gas and water in combination, or upon oil wellscaused to flow by means'of compressed air. When water is associated withthe oil and gas, the apparatus, by reason of the cushion of gas againstwhich the well is continuously made to flow, prevents emulsification ofthe product. Thecushion of gas that is continuously held underpresleading the product from the apparatus into reservoirs or tanks, thewater can be easily withdrawn. The gas makes its way through the risersinto the gas'mains. The size of the containers and necessary connectionsof the apparatus are dependent entirely upon.

the amount" of output of the well, and no matter W' the p t may be,theaPI' sure can be so regulated by valves that it i paratus can besuitably built to handle the production, and effectually cause theseparation of theoil, gas, and water, without appreciable loss.- Also,because of the gas cushion against which the well is at all timesflowing, the life of the well will be prolonged, for the chief reasonthat it has a steadying eifect upon the well, and eliminates all suddenand undue pressures against the well, and furthermore prevents thesucking in and breaking down of the loose containing formationsencountered in many oil fields. Inasmuch, as the method also makes useof only the amount of gas required to keep the well steadily flowing,this conservation of the gas pressure will also tend to prolong the lifeof the well.

The method can be used with equal success upon flowing wellsproducingsand, oil

ting oif said flow, and finally withdrawing the contents of said space.

2. The method of operating a well to pre vent the emulsification of theoil, which con sists in establishing in a confined space a cushion ofgas from and under the pressure of the well; then directing the flow ofthe wellunder premure into said confined space against the previouslyestablished gas cush ion therein; then cutting ofi the fiow of the wellto said space, and finally withdrawing the contents of said space.

3. The method of operating a well to preand gas, or sand,'oil, gas andwater in combination, and, in addition to securing a separation of thesand, water, oil, and gas, the method, by reason of its steadying effectupon the well and the open flow line obtainable, has a tendency toprevent choking of the well by any suddenly increased amount of sand.

The method may be used in combination with the customary flow plug orvalve if desired, and on account of the equalization of the pressure onboth sides of such flow plug or valve, by reason of the gas cushionagainst which the well is at all times fiow-* ing, emulsification willbe prevented.

By the use of my method as carried out in this apparatus, reduction ofthe production of a well can be'obtained by regulation of the valveswithout any material injury to the well.

Danger of the cutting out of fittings in wells where sand accompaniesthe ,oil and gas is greatly lessened because of the decreasedvfrictionobtained by the enlarged flow line opening allowable, because of thecontrolling gas cushion.

vent the emulsification of the oil, which consists in directing its flowunder pressure into a confined space; then establishing in a secondconfined space a gas cushion from and under the pressure of the contentsof the first space; then cutting off the flow of the well from the firstspace and admitting said flow to the second space against the gascushion previouslyestablished therein; then withdrawing the contents ofthe first space; then establishing in said first space a gas cushionfrom and under the pressure of the contents of the second space; thencutting off the flow of the well from the second space and admittingsaid flow to the first space against the gas cushion previouslyestablished therein; then withdrawing thecontents of the second space,and so on.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. REYNOLDS. jWitnesses:

R. B. WnrrrEMoRE, A, M. KEENE.

